


the mysterious escapologist

by owl_system



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Other, escapologist au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:14:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24405628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/owl_system/pseuds/owl_system
Summary: star sapphire, a famed escapologist cloaked in mystery and glitter, and his 'just assistant' juno steel, stage name topaz, take to a stage of hyperion city to wow the audience with star's glamour and showmanship. but what happens when the show doesn't quite go as expected?
Relationships: Peter Nureyev/Juno Steel
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	the mysterious escapologist

“now introducing the great escapologist star sapphire and his glamorous assistant, topaz!”  
i hide a snort at that as the curtain rises to rousing applause. glamorous? as if. sure, the name ‘topaz’ does fit that description, but plain juno steel, that name’s owner, really doesn’t. not like star sapphire. of course, that’s not his real name, but he’s so cloaked in mystery it might as well be. 

“hello, hyperion city!” i jump, hearing my cue, and stride onstage, flicking back the skirt of my golden gown. personally, i think it’s a little excessive, and i’ve never been that huge a fan of gold, but once star said he liked me in gold, so i’ve been wearing it every performance since. he probably hasn’t noticed, but i keep finding myself picking up a gold dress before every performance. i let my mind wander back to the moment star told me that as i introduce the trick, which involves chaining star into a water tank, and pull the handcuffs he’ll be using out of my dress. i refocus as i attach the handcuffs- these ones are tricky, and it’s easy to chain them up wrong. it’s also harder to escape them, but all the locks are the same- star likes a specific style of locks which look sleeker but break and malfunction much easier. i then lead star to the tank and help him in, whispering a quiet ‘good luck’ in his ear before attaching the chains and resuming my place at the front of the stage. “timer,” i call to the main stagehand, who presses something so the timer flashes up on the wall. i watch star escape like it’s the first time i’ve seen it, and it takes me a while to realise that something is wrong.

star is the best escapologist i’ve ever seen, and i know this is taking too long. the locks must have jammed. my heart in my throat, i feel like i’m about to pass out. star’s going to die. the medic, who’s been on standby for every show, inches closer to the stage. star’s going to die. the timer ticks dangerously further and further. star’s going to die he can’t die i haven’t told him he can’t he can’t- 

the timer reaches four minutes.

star is going to die.

i can’t bear to watch, but the fearful gasps and murmurs tell me he’s still under. the medic steps onto the edge of the stage. star is going to die. the audience gasp louder. someone screams in… relief?

the tank slams open.

i dare to look over.

star. 

a showman to the end, star stands, dripping with water from his once-neat hair to his expensive black and gold suit, in the tank, arms outstretched.

alive.  
i scramble up the stairs and lead star to the front of the stage. he links our hands and throws the up in the air to applause like we’ve never heard before. i squeeze star’s hand as if confirming that he is really beside me, and he squeezes back as the curtain falls. 

when the curtain falls, a stagehand whisks star away to change into something dry, and i make my own way back to my dressing room to prepare for after-show drinks at some nearby bar none of us are classy enough to be in without the cloak of our jobs. i decide, on some impulse with no origin i can think of, to head to the stage instead of straight to the exit. the impulse turns out to be right, as, sitting on the edge of the stage, now covered in glitter, is star. 

“hey,” i start, flopping down beside star, who jumps when he sees me. “hello, juno,” he sighs back. “something wrong?” i ask. star sighs again, still staring into space, then turns his intense, dark eyes on me. “i can’t believe i messed up that escape so badly- it was so easy! am i just too old to be doing this job?” swallowing a comment on the fact that star can’t be more than about thirty-three, i place a hand on his shoulder. “c’mon, star. you know there’s nobody better than you when it comes to this. the problem earlier was with those locks you insist on using, not you! if anything, you saved the trick. nobody else could’ve styled that out better than you did!” star laughs softly, then leans in so my arm is properly around him. “thank you, juno. and, i’ve been meaning to say it all night, but you look incredible in that dress.” i feel myself blush as i avert my eyes from star’s own. “you know i only wear gold because you told me that you liked it once, right?” i admit. star laughs again. “i noticed that, but convinced myself that you didn’t care enough about my opinion to change your wardrobe around it.” i meet star’s eyes. “of course i do. i… i love you, star.”  
“i love you too, juno. and… it’s nureyev. peter nureyev. you are the first person to be told my name in decades. i hope i can entrust it to you.” i stare at star- no, nureyev- in shock. “th-thank you, nureyev. you can trust me with your name.” i clear my throat awkwardly, then continue, “would you like to go somewhere with me? like, instead of the afterparty?” i think i’ve overstepped until nureyev smiles and loops his arms around my neck. “wherever you would like to go, juno.” he kisses me, and in that moment i feel, for the first time in years, that maybe this is all worth something. nureyev truly is the kind of person that can change your outlook with a single kiss. and i think i’m the kind of person who would let him.


End file.
